Time and Again
by Eleanor Rigby
Summary: CHAPTER 4 IS UP!! In which Eileen meets and greets her house comrades, Draco experiences unrequited love (not for the first time), Wormtail makes his move, and other dark workings. Come, read and REVIEW, please! You KNOW you want to!
1. Back Home

  
"They were alone. Lady Rowena felt her heartbeat quicken as she tentatively looked into Sir Richard's eyes. Before she knew it, his arms were about her waist, and they were locked in an eager embrace. The noblewoman sighed, and gave in to her instincts. It was inevitable, it was destiny..."  
  
"Platform 9 and three quarters!" shouted the conductor forcefully, jolting Hermione out of her book.  
  
She felt the train stop. Immediately, some rowdy third years began shoving their way out of the train. Hermione sat until everyone who wanted to get out, got out. She had the patience to wait. After the car was empty, she picked up her backpack and suitcase, and left. She looked around at the other Hogwarts students, grinning, joking and cursing so loudly and deliberately that was obvious that they had just learned how.   
  
Hermione wondered if she had ever been that young. She felt particularly old, because she was the only sixth year that she could see that had decided to go home for Christmas. There was to be some huge holiday bash over the break, but she didn't care. One night, not long before, she had begun to think about her family. At least she tried to. So many years at boarding school had made them strangers to her. She couldn't remember her mother's laugh, her father's voice, and as for her younger sister, Hermione couldn't remember her at all.  
  
Then and there, Hermione had decided that she wouldn't be staying at Hogwarts for Christmas.  
  
She scanned the crowd, looking for the faces of her father or mother. Her eyes fell on a tall man with curly black hair, and unfashionable sunglasses. Could it be...  
  
"Hermione!" the man called. Yes, I was right, thought Hermione. That's my daddy.  
  
She started to walk toward him.   
  
"No! Stay there!" he commanded.  
  
He shuffled through the crowd, and soon father and daughter were united. He gave her a huge bear hug that was oddly familiar. Had he given me these bear hugs before? she thought.  
  
"It's great to be back, Dad,"  
  
A pudgy woman with a pretty face next to him grinned, and gave Hermione a kiss on the cheek. "What about me and Eileen, hon. What are we, chopped liver?"  
  
Eileen? So that was what her sister's name was.  
  
A solemn girl had been eyeing Hermione coldly from their mother's side all along. She was tall for her age, with sleek dark hair and hazel eyes. Her legs were long and slim. But then, rather everything about her was like that. She looks a heck of a lot better than I did when I was fourteen, decided Hermione. Hermione knew that Eileen had to be fourteen because she was almost eight when Hermione left for Hogwarts. Funny, to remember somebody's age and not their name.  
  
"What's that you're reading, Herm?" Her mother seized Hermione's book, a look of disgust on her face. "Don't you know those trashy romance novels will rot your brain? When I was your age..."  
  
  
****  
  
There was more small talk on the drive home, about what Hermione had been doing in school, what the Granger family had been up to at home, and such. Through it all, Eileen didn't say a word. She just nodded or shook her head when necessary, and smiled mechanically at her father's corny jokes.  
  
Once at home, Eileen started to retreat to her room, when she was halted by her father. "Hold up there, missy. You're going to march right downstairs to get your sleeping bag. Didn't I tell you that you're going to be sharing your room with your sister while she's here?"  
  
"Yeah. But you didn't tell me I was going to take the floor." said Eileen darkly.   
  
She pushed a strand of hair out of her face, glared at Hermione, and stalked down to the basement.  
  
"I'm sort of tired too," Hermione said to her parents, "where's her room?"  
  
"Second door to your left," her dad answered.  
  
She grabbed her bags, climbed the stairs, and entered Eileen's room It was painted light purple, and there were, to Hermione's surprise, stuffed animals littered all about Eileen's unmade bed. Her desk, however, was kept in Spartan condition, with everything in a carefully placed position, and not a grain of dust on its mahogany surface.   
  
Eileen had a splendid bookshelf. The classics all made their appearances on the top shelf, with several books by Dickens, Tolstoy, Twain and Chauncer gracing her top shelf. More modern ones such as Sophie's World and Ender's Game popped up on her second. The third shelf betrayed Eileen's intrest in politcal science. Some classic works, such as Marx's Communist Manufesto, Plato's Republic, and Hitler's Mein Kampf were present. A few Orwell books were there as well.  
  
For some reason Hermione was not at all surprised. Politics, the business where what's said and what's meant are two entirely different things, would probably be something that appealed to her frigid, solumn little sister. She went on to the fourth and final shelf and saw.... Magical Beasts and Where to Find Them? It looked just like a text book she had used in school a few years ago. Hermione pulled it out and looked inside. Her own handrwriting was inside. This was hers. Looking at the other books on the same shelf, she found that all of them were her old textbooks from Hogwarts. What could Eileen be doing with them?  
  
"Get off," came Eileen's voice from the doorway. Hermione immediately dropped Magical Beasts and Where to Find Them and stepped back from the bookshelf.  
  
"Sorry," said Hermione.  
"Who gave you permission to touch my stuff? Dad said you could have my bed, not my whole fricking room."  
  
"Well, if you wanted your bed and your room so much, why didn't you just tell him? He'd probably make me sleep on the floor, or on the couch downstairs or something." Hermione pulled a piece of lint off her sweater testily. Great, Herm, she thought, you've gotten yourself in a fight with your sister the first time you've been alone with her in three years. Man, you're smart.  
  
"You? The floor?" Eileen said, in her same cold monotone, "Heavens no! Dad would never let his favorite daughter back from school after so long sleep on the floor. Oh, and why don't I go tell him that it isn't fair? Because I'm scared as hell of him, that's why. Every kid on this street that knows what's good for him is." Eileen, noticing Hermione's look of disturbance with pleasure, went on, her voice taking on a sarcastically pleasant tone. "Oh, but you don't have to worry. You're his golden child. You're beautiful, kind, and good. It's only badduns' like me that have to fear his wrath."   
  
Eileen contiuned to dig in, sounding like she'd wanted to for some time. "Oh, and you're a witch, too. Mom and Dad are so proud of you. I'll never have that. No matter what I do, they're always talking about you. How wonderful you are over summer breaks. Do you really think it's a coincidence that I've always been at summer camp the past few years while you've been here? They always rub it in my face how great you're doing over there at Hongraits or whatever. I get straight A's in school, too. I'm in all high academics, and I'm a year ahead in math and English. They don't care. They say whatever you do is more challenging. I'm great at sports, too. I'm on the JV lacrosse team, and it's hard to get on that, especially when you're still in middle school. Mom's only come to one of my games..." She let her voice trail off.  
  
"Um..." Hermione wasn't sure what to say. "I guess... I'm sorry."  
  
"You damn well should be," said Eileen. It was quiet for a while.  
  
Eileen shoved her sleeping bag into Hermione's hands. "Take this,"  
  
"I'm sleeping on the floor?" Hermione asked, trying to sound perky.  
  
Eileen nodded. "I'm going to take a shower. You sleep, okay?"  
  
Having dismissed her sister, Eileen turned off the lights. By nighlight, Hermione could see Eileen getting her towel, pyjamas and other essentials for bathing. Eileen stood for a minute in front of her bookshelf before selecting a book from the bottom shelf, and shuffling into the bathroom.  
  
***  
  
It was two in the morning. Hermione woke up. She wasn't sure why, something stirred inside of her that she couldn't explain. She blinked sleepily, feeling that disoriented feeling that you get when you first wake up. Her eyes hurt, she realized, from the light. Light? Hermione looked at the bathroom door. Eileen was still in there. God, Hermione thought, what is that girl doing up at this hour? She covered her head with her pillow, and went back to sleep.  
  
Only later did she realize that there was something strange about that light. It wasn't electrical. It was a pearly, unearthly green, that was, somehow, disturbingly familiar...  
  
  
  
A/N- Hey! I've been reading fan fic here for a while, but this is the first one I've ever written, so be kind, and REVIEW it! If you've actually read this far, thanks. Oh, and by the way, all the references to the Harry Potter series are JK Rowling's. Eileen, and the personalities of Hermione's parents are mine. Wow, I seem to own a lot of it so far! Well, that's gonna change when the story moves back to Hogwarts... (Yes, I love my "..."'s) :) 


	2. A Series of Unexpected Events

"What are you looking at?" asked Eileen pointedly.  
  
Hermione had been staring at Eileen all breakfast. "Nothing," Hermione muttered. She stirred her cereal again, to make it look like it was, at least partially, eaten. She wasn't hungry. Still, she didn't want her mom to feel bad. Her mother seemed like the kind of person who would take that kind of thing personally.  
  
It was no use. "Hermione, dear," her mother cried, "you haven't eaten a bite this morning. I worry about you. You're skin and bone!"  
  
"No, I'm not! Look at my thighs! My butt's like, huge!"  
  
"You look fine, hon. Now if you don't feel like eating anything at home, here's a twenty. You and your sister can go out for lunch. It looks like some bonding time is in order." She winked, then gave Hermione a kiss on the cheek. "I've got to get to the office by nine, and I won't be back till four...oh, you know that already. Don't worry, this is my last day of work before Christmas break. Take care of each other." After taking a moment to put on her jacket, she seized her suitcase and was gone.  
  
As soon as the door shut, Hermione turned to Eileen. There was no point in beating around the bush. "What were you doing last night?"  
  
Eileen put on an innocent face. "Showering, why?"  
  
'Those eyes. That face. If I hadn't seen her, I could have sworn that she was telling the truth. But I did,' thought Hermione. ' I saw that light last night. And nothing she says or does can change that.' "You know what I mean. It's not showering."  
  
"After I showered, I went to sleep. Okay, maybe I read a bit. Is it really necessary for you to know all of my business?" Eileen's voice had a warning tone to it, a tone that Hermione didn't like.  
  
"I saw..."Hermione began hesitantly, "I saw what you were doing last night. I know about the green light."  
  
"Do you?" Eileen retorted, her face devoid of emotion. She stood up from the table, and Hermione did the same.   
  
"I do," declared Hermione, trying to get the same kind of authority into her voice as Eileen seemed to naturally have in hers. "Now tell me what it was."  
  
A queer smile flickered across Eileen's face. "Do you really want to know?" She took a few slow steps toward Hermione. Hermione, instinctively, inched backwards.  
  
"Er...yeah," Hermione's voice wavered more than a little.  
  
Eileen laughed mirthlessly. "Ever since you started leaving your old textbooks at home, I've been teaching myself spells. Reading about your wizarding culture. Quite interesting, really. One of my many hobbies. I knew you'd figure it out eventually. Aren't you clever?"  
  
Hermione tried to look composed, but things weren't fitting together. This wasn't right. "But we...we never learned any spells that produced that...that green. And, how did you get the ingredients to make potions? You don't have a wand, either. Shouldn't you be at Hogwarts, too?"  
  
Eileen patted Hermione on the head. It was irritating to Hermione. First of all, they were the same height. Second of all, she was older, she should be doing the head patting. Hermione pulled away, and Eileen grinned.   
  
"Don't worry your pretty little head about that,"   
  
****  
It was twelve at night. Again, Hermione couldn't sleep. Too much had happened that day. After that conversation, she and her sister had proceeded to take the town by storm. They had lunched at Yossarian's, the best sandwich place around, and Eileen gave her a walking tour of their hometown. On the way they met many of Eileen's friends, who were happy to help out.   
  
It was a funny thing. Eileen seemed to be really popular. And no wonder, with the way she was that day. She was cheerful, talkative, happy-go-lucky, everybody's best friend. Her humor did have a dark streak, but that didn't seem to bother anybody. Furthermore, she was a vegetarian, which for some reason shocked Hermione. Perhaps because she didn't seem to be the kind of person who would be overly concerned with the rights of animals. Or those of people, for that matter.   
Hermione silently got to her feet. She crept downstairs, then down, down to the basement. She walked over to a small wooden cage that was hanging from a coathanger in a corner. "Hey, Winster," she whispered.  
  
Winster, whose proper name was Wistera, was a small grey owl, who Hermione had acquired the year before. Though she was not much bigger than Pidgewidgeon, Hermione liked to think that Winster was a bit more reliable than Pig.  
  
"I've got something for you," Hermione cooed. After opening the cage, she tied a piece of parchment to one of Winster's legs.  
  
Winster looked happy to have a chance to spread out her wings. She began hopping about and making joyful sounds.  
  
"Shhhh! You've got be quiet!" Hermione reprimanded. "Now, you've got to remember to be careful. That's a very important message you're carrying."  
  
Hermione opened a basement window with some difficulty. The owl darted out of it as fast as her little wings could carry her. Cawing loudly, Winster flew off into the darkness.   
  
****  
  
News travels fast in the wizarding world. Of course, it's who you are, and whether you know where to look that decides whether you know what's going on or not. About ten or fifteen Hogwarts students knew already that something different was going to happen at the first dinner after holiday break. Among them were Ron Weasley and Draco Malfoy.  
  
Harry Potter was not in on the secret. But he already suspected something fishy was going on. He hadn't seen Hermione all day. He knew she had gone home for the holidays, but everyone who'd left was already back and sitting at their accustomed tables.  
  
Ron was just arriving. "Have I missed..." he looked around, a toothy grin on his freckled face. "I guess not." he finished.  
  
"Have you seen Hermione?"  
  
"Nope, you?"  
  
Harry's answer was a low grown.  
  
"You're so possessive! She'll come around." Ron was unaccountably giddy, which was annoying Harry considerably.  
  
"Hermione is our FRIEND. FRIENDS worry about FRIENDS."  
  
"Don't fret. She's..." his voice trailed off.  
  
"Right over there!" declared Seamus Finnigan, who was sitting in the seat next to Ron.  
  
Seamus was right. There was Hermione, standing next to a girl none of them had ever seen before, who was next to Dumbledore, who looked set to make an announcement.  
  
"Greetings, students," he said, "I hope you are all looking forward to another calendar year of education in the fine art of magic. Today I have the unique pleasure of introducing a new student to our ranks. Students and staff of Hogwarts, allow me to introduce you to Eileen Artemis Granger!"  
  
A round of perplexed applause filled the hall. This had never happened before, at least in any of the students time at Hogwarts. "Although she was identified and enrolled later than is customary here, she is more than prepared to enter with the students her age. She is fourteen, so, customarily, she should be in the middle of her fourth year. However, her independent studies have carried her further than the Fourth year curriculum. She will be entering Hogwarts as a Fifth year."  
  
The students did not even attempt to applaud now. They waited, in rapt silence. "Enough with these dull formalities," cried Dumbledore suddenly, "she'll now be Sorted. Then we can eat."  
  
The Sorting Hat was produced. Ron leaned over and whispered to Harry: "Isn't it great that Hermione's sister is going to be a fifth year. Ginny'll be able to show her the ropes, eh?"  
  
But Harry wasn't listening. He was gawking bold-facedly at Eileen. Did he know her from somewhere? Eileen, who had been staring into space since she arrived, had just made eye contact with him. Was it his imagination? No, he decided. She had smiled, a tiny, ominous, Mona Lisa smile.  
  
Creepy. He distracted himself by eyeing Hermione. She looked awful. Her looseish mahogany curls were frizzy, and her eyes were bleary and dim. She wore a well-worn deep purple cloak from last year. 'Pity,' thought Harry, rather unsympathetically, 'she can be awfully beautiful when she wants to be.'  
  
Next to Harry, Ron and Seamus were tittering excitedly. "What's taking so long?" complained Seamus. "That thing's been on her head for almost a minute."  
  
"It's probably 'cos she's so old," decided Ron, "much more going on her attic then a ten year old would have."  
  
"I guess,"  
  
"What do you think she'll be?"  
  
"Gryffidor, probably. Maybe Ravenclaw."  
  
But the hat finally had its answer. "SLYTHERIN!" it shouted.  
  
  
A/N: Shocking, huh? I was thinking of putting her in Hufflepuff (another unconventional house), but Eileen isn't quite the Hufflepuff....type. I am ever so sad...nobody picked up the significance of my fanfiction. net name. You know Eleanor Rigby, right? The song? "Paul McCartney's magnificent two-minute meditation on loneliness"? Does no one here love the Beatles? Go download it, right now! Or buy that red "1" CD or something. Sorry. And no, I am not OLD! I just like old music, is all! Er...Anyway, all this is set-up, basically. It gets juicy in the next chapter. So, if you've read up to here...again thanks.... and REVIEW!!! Oh, and you know all the stuff that belongs to JK Rowling, right? 


	3. Fire and Rain

Hermione started to walk towards the Gryffindor tables, then remembered her sister had been sorted to a different house.   
  
"Come on, Eileen," she said, "I'm sure they'll understand if you sit with me and the Gryffindors this one time."   
  
"Okay," said Eileen, her cheeks flushed with glee.  
  
"I'm sorry," Hermione twisted a lock of wavy chestnut hair between her fingers.  
  
"About what?"  
  
"We're in different houses. And you know," Hermione gave a small grin, "you're in Slytherin. They've got a reputation for being rather...slimy."   
Eileen stopped walking, so Hermione followed suit. "Excuse me?"  
  
Hermione grimaced. "Um..."  
  
"You've got no right to insult my house like that." Eileen snapped icily. "I bet you didn't realize that I was actually hoping to be in Slytherin. That or Ravenclaw. See, there's really no other options that suit me. The Hufflepuffs are lame, and the Gryffindors are arrogant. Yeah, arrogant. Don't look at me that way, you know it's true. The Gryffindors seem to think that all other students wish that they too could be in that house. Ha! I've just got to tell you something here and now, sissy dearest. That's bull!"  
  
Hermione glared. "Oh, if you're too great to sit with me and my egomaniacal friends, you're more than welcome to--"  
  
"Shush," Eileen smiled, her voice suddenly taking on a lighter tone. "Let's not worry about house differences now. We're still sisters and that's all that matters. So... are we going or not? I still want to meet those two guys Dad and Mum say you talk about all the time. Ron and Harry."  
  
"All right, then," sighed Hermione, feeling utterly confused and trying not to show it. Her heart was melting at the kind words, but her mind was wary. Her sister was so hard to understand. Just when she thought she knew how to deal with Eileen, the girl would throw a curve ball at her. Eileen seemed to have two entirely different personalities, which she wielded at will, calculated to suit whatever situation she happened to be in.  
  
Upon reaching their destination, Eileen plopped herself down into the seat that was being saved for Hermione. "Hey, people," she greeted.  
  
"You must be Eileen...obviously," Ron felt vaguely stupid, but continued on. "I'm Ron, and the fellow next to me is Harry. Good to meet you. Hermione's told us...er...absolutely nothing about you."  
  
Eileen cracked up. Her laughter was so infectiously bubbly that Ron joined in, though he couldn't for the life of him figure out what she found so funny. Even Hermione couldn't help but smile.  
  
Only Harry showed little intrest in the new student. He gave her a brief wave, then turned to speak to Hermione. "Great to see you, Herm," He stood up and moved closer to her, so he could whisper in her ear. "It's a shame she didn't make Gryfiddor,"  
  
Eileen twirled about gracefully on her chair. She smiled playfully, looking right into his eyes. "Harry, darling! You may be The Boy Who Lived, but you sure don't know how to whisper!"  
  
Harry looked down at the ground, breaking the eye contact with Eileen. Somehow, it made him feel ill. "I thought she lived in the muggle world? How does she know who I am?" Harry said, hoping Hermione would have a logical explanation, like she always did.  
  
"She probably either read about it, or my parents told her. It's not that remarkable." Hermione answered, sounding annoyed.  
  
"Yeah," Eileen chimed in. "you don't have to know Voldemort personally to know what's going on around here."  
  
Everyone in earshot shuddered, and fell silent "It's You-Know-Who," Ron corrected, finally.  
  
"Or He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named," Hermione agreed.  
  
"Oh, come on," Harry said bitterly, "SHE couldn't have known. She hasn't experienced what he's done to to society, to families here,"Heads nodded.   
  
Harry worked up the courage to look at Eileen. Her soft pink lips were formed into a remorseful pout. But her eyes... they had a sardonic glint in them. They were staring right at him, waiting to see what he would do. Challenging him.  
  
"She also hasn't experienced the horror of battling with him face to face. I have. It was last summer--"  
  
"I...uh, have to go to the bathroom." Hermione dashed out of the dining hall.  
  
She had no desire to hear the story of how Harry had defeated Voldemort. Again. How many times had she heard the same old thing? The whole situation made her feel guilty, for not being there. She and Ron had been with him that time, the last time. They were the three musketeers, after all. Hermione smiled. 'We used to...' , she thought, then frowned again. Past tense. After what happened last summer they couldn't be the three musketeers anymore. They never would be again.  
  
A series of bad events had found Hermione under the Imperius Curse, and Ron in a veritable Azkaban of a dungeon, complete with dementors. Harry had to face his adversary by himself. Nothing she or Ron had ever told him since then could convince him that they had not abandoned him that day. 'Anyone in her right mind would have left him,' Hermione thought, 'But we loved Harry, me and Ron. We would never have abandoned him by choice. We'd have gone down with him, with no second thoughts.'  
  
It didn't work that way. And Harry was alone. Very alone. It eventually came to be just him and Voldemort--plus a legion of his followers. Together, the Dark Lord and his servants raised their wands, and put a powerful curse on Harry. It was not the killing curse. The unfortunate who found himself under the curse would suffer a fate far worse than death. In a burst of ingenuity, Harry reflected the curse at Voldemort, who disintegrated, presumably dead. Or as dead as he could be. His presence could no longer be detected. Without their master, the Dark Forces crumbled. Harry had saved the day again. This time, the wizarding world was convinced it was for good.  
  
Without impending danger at his back, Hermione thought the neverending stream of glory he received was starting to go to his head. Or was it? He was showing genuine unease around her sister. Hermione grinned. Maybe his ability to sense evil was still intact after all.   
  
'In all seriousness,' Hermione murmured to herself, 'what if there is something going on?'  
  
She immediately dismissed the thought. 'His reputation is probably losing its credibility by now,' she thought, rather cynically. 'Perhaps he wants to stir something up around my sister to beef it up'. As she reentered the dining hall, an ironic, rather Eileenish smile spread across her face. 'Nobody can get to Eileen. Not even Harry Potter.'  
  
Hermione hoped her sister would give Harry the tongue lashing he deserved.  
  
As she arrived, Ron and Eileen were engaged in animated conversation. Ever so often the two would break down into fits of giggles. The other people in the area were obviously trying to contain themselves from laughing as well, although not very successfully. Hermione noticed, not suprisingly, that Harry seemed decidedly unamused.  
  
"C'mon Eileen, " Hermione scolded, "leave 'im alone."  
  
"Ugh," Eileen pouted theatrically, "You Griffies absolutely cannot take a joke! I'm going off to socialize with my own kind."   
  
She beamed. "'Bye Herm. Buh-bye Ron." She started to walk off, then remembered whom she'd forgotten.   
"See you around, Potter." With that, she was gone.  
  
Still waving in the direction where Eileen had gone, Ron turned to Hermione. "Your sister is absolutely adorable! So sweet and..." He started to chuckle. "hilarious! I wonder why that hat put her in the same category as it does creeps like Crabbe and Goyle."  
  
"Oh, believe me, she'll fit in just fine!" growled Harry.  
  
"You've got to admit...it WAS funny. You know it was."  
  
"What was it Ron?" whined Hermione. She hated being the last to know these sort of things.  
  
"Don't say a word," said Harry through his teeth.  
  
Hermione put an arm around Harry's shoulder."If it makes you feel any better, I'm not surprised she's in Slytherin either. When we're alone she can be a real witch with a capital 'B', if you know what I'm saying."   
  
"She...seems familiar. And not the good kind of familiar either."  
  
Hermione sighed. He was Harry. Harry the honest and true. He wasn't making it up, she decided, at least not conciously. How could she have thought such a thing? All the same, Hermione was convinced that there was nothing wrong with her sister. At least nothing seriously wrong. "Aw, just cause she was ripping on you doesn't mean she's evil, Harry. Since You-Know-Who was defeated, there's not going to be many dark workings around here for a while."  
  
"Maybe, Hermione, maybe," For lack of anything else to say, he declared. "Did you hear the way she called me Potter? She sounded just like Malfoy!"  
  
Hermione shrugged, and moved down the table to chat with Lavender and Paverati. Ron, the only one of the so-called three musketeers to have noticed the food had appeared, was somehow managing to shovel his dinner into his mouth, and have a conversation with Seamus at the same time.  
  
Though surrounded by people, Harry Potter, The Boy Who Lived, found himself alone, once more.  
  
  
A/N: If you are reading this... I LOVE YOU! Thanks for reading , please review. So...whaddaya think? Comments? Suggestions? More on Harry's solo defeat of Voldemort, and the reasons for the spiritual breakup of the "Three Musketeers" in chapters to come. Thanks to everyone who replied to my desperate pleas for a beta reader...I took the only the first two but I love you all! Also, thanks to everyone who reviewed already....I love you as well! I love the world right now for some reason! **chuckles insanely** Oh, and it's great to know that other people listen to old music as well! If only everybody would just join hands and sing "All You Need Is Love" in unison ! *Sigh* The world would be a better place...... :)  
~Eleanor 


	4. Into the Darkness

"Is there anyone going to listen to my story, all about the girl who came to stay?"  
  
*   
One second, she was talking to Harry & Co, the next, she was in his face. "You're Draco Malfoy," Eileen decided. It was not a question, it was statement.  
"Yeah," he said coldly, "What do you want? How did you even get into this house, Mudblood?"  
Ignoring both questions, Eileen pushed on."We need to talk."  
"About what?"  
Eileen grunted something similar to "You'll see," but by now her attention was focused on Crabbe, who was sitting in the seat next to Draco, the seat she wanted.  
"Do you think you could move for a minute?" she asked.  
Crabbe didn't answer. He just sat there, looking as solid and immovable as a boulder.  
Eileen flashed Crabbe a vicious look before sitting on his lap. She flipped a lock of her hair behind her ear, making sure to hit him in the face in the process. Turning to Draco, she began, "Okay, what I want to know is--"  
"Hold on there," Draco interuppted, "what YOU want to know? We've sure as hell got a lot to ask you!"  
"We...?" Just then, it dawned on Eileen that all Slytherin eyes were on her.  
"For countless years, only the best people have populated this house," he snapped, "How is it that you, four years late and a Mudblood can just waltz right in here?"  
"Ask the Sorting hat," Eileen shrugged. "I was wondering about that point, myself. In the begining, I was hoping I'd become a Ravenclaw, beacause, you know, Hufflepuff and Gryfiddor are so..." She made a face, and the Slytherins nodded, knowingly. "Never in my wildest dreams did I think that I'd actually make it here. Okay, okay," She smiled, and lowered her voice as if sharing a secret. "maybe in my very wildest ones, I'd picture myself here, under the symbol of the snake, learning and growing among some of the most talented young witches and wizards of today..." She drew a tear, and, twisted Crabbe's pinky, hard. He, too, drew a tear, and soon the entire population of the house was sobbing,as Eileen told the story of her pipe dream to be a Slytherin. "...And today, friends, I am here. I don't know how, I don't know why...but won't you accept me for who I am?" There was vibrant applause. Crabbe got up and offered the seat to Eileen, which she willingly accepted. She spent the next fifteen or so minutes, making inconsequential conversation with her new house mates. It was similar to the introductory session she'd had with her sister's friends, but with a sardonic edge. For the most part, she got a kick out of it.  
All the while, Eileen was distinctly aware that she was not universally loved. In the gestures, and the eye movements of some, she could detect derision, condescension, fear. She found she was among people as subtle and clever as she, and deep down, she didn't like it. It is one thing to pull strings, and quite another to have the sinking feeling that somebody is pulling strings...and not exactly in your favor. Yet, in another way, she was glad she was put in Slytherin. It would be fun, she decided, to be among like minded people, if she played her cards right. However, she needed friends and allies in order to survive here, or she would be swallowed up. 'This could--this will--be vastly entertaining,' thought Eileen. She smiled.  
Unpacking had to be done, so Eileen had to leave early. Crabbe was eager to regain his seat. Just before leaving, she grabbed Draco by his collar.  
"We've still got to have that talk," she whispered.  
He turned around, looking startled.   
"Scared?" she said aloud, grinning like a barracuda.  
Gathering his senses, Draco retorted, his voice dripping with sarcasm, "Of what? You?"  
Eileen just smiled mysteriously. She leaned forward, until her face was just centimeters from his. "Midnight in front of the common room. Be there."  
In a louder tone she added, "Bye, Racco!"  
"Wha...don't call me that!" he shouted after her. But she was already out of earshot.  
  
***  
  
"She's the kind of girl you want so much it makes you sorry, still you don't regret a single day..."  
  
*  
  
Draco lay awake that night, waiting. He knew he wouldn't wake up at midnight if he set his alarm. Besides, he wasn't at all sleepy. His mind was busy. Thinking, thinking....who was he kidding? He was thinking mostly of her, of course, the other Granger girl. And he hated it.  
Why was it always the WRONG girls that got stuck in his head? First, it was a lovely Hufflepuff brunette. He'd liked her for a year or so, but whoever heard of a Slytherin going out with a Hufflepuff? It would be even more ridiculous than going out with a Gryffidor, though not nearly as contriversial. Oh, and of course he'd picked one of those next! 'Hermione...figures I'd go for Potter's best friend.' Draco thought, bitterly.   
His family whole heartedly endorsed his relationship with Pansy, which was a major turn-off. Still, he had to admit she was good to look at, and great for experimentation, if slightly...irritating. She was everywhere, there was no escaping her. Just the sight of her blonde hair at the other end of a hall...hair...hair...  
Then Draco's mind set drifted entirely, 'Hair. She had such lovely hair. Dark, just a beautiful curtian of dark, with just a bit of curl at the end. She would toss it every once in a while, right in Crabbe's face, that lucky bastard. And the way she talked to me was so...different from other people. Less respectful, yeah, but I like it. That smile of hers, she'd use it a lot, a mysterious Mona Lisa sort of smile. Yes, she uses it. She's brilliant in a devious sort of way. She's absolutely brilliant...'  
Draco bit his lip hard enough to squeeze out all thoughts but those of pain. He scolded himself for picking yet another fish he could never catch. And for being so damned sappy about it this time. Opening his eyes wide, he looked over at the clock. It was a quarter to twelve. He felt himself getting out of bed, checking his image in the mirror, and silently leaving the room, as if by instinct.  
  
***  
  
Eileen looked her new roommate in the eye. "Hello,"  
The girl nodded, and said, "Hey. My name's Sadie. It's short for Susannah." Seeing Eileen's confused look, she continued. "I'm not really sure how my parents got Sadie out of Susannah either."  
"Did you have a roommate at all this year?"  
"Yeah," Sadie said begrudgingly. She didn't feel like talking to this weird newcomer. Eileen took the hint, and went back to organizing her desk exactly how she had it had it at home.  
Ten minutes later, Sadie walked over to Eileen. "I'm tired. Do you think we could turn off the lights now?"  
Eileen looked at the wall clock. It was a whole half hour before lights out. What the heck was this Sadie trying to do? Well, if this was a test, then she planned to get an A. "Sure," said Eileen sweetly, "As long as you don't mind the light from the bathroom. Oh, and I may make some noise moving about, but I'll try to be quiet." She turned off the lights. "Night, Sadie."  
Eileen went into the bathroom. She wet her face, shook it, and slowly patted it dry. Scrutinizing her apperance in the mirror, she decided she looked a little haggard. Yawning, she considered going to bed then and there. It had been a long day, and she needed her beauty rest. Why had she made that meeting for tonight, anyway? It was a stupid, spur of the moment move. 'There you go,' Eileen muttered to herself, 'further proof that spontaniatenty leads to ruination.'  
That cocky little elitist Draco might not even show up, Eileen considered. She kicked something, probably the garbage can, but she didn't bother looking down to make sure. He represented everything about the wizarding world that she hated. If she didn't need that information so, the information that she was positive he had, she might have abandoned the entire affair.  
And if he did show up, would he tell her?  
Eileen sighed. She continued her customary nighttime bathroom activities, loudly enough to annoy Sadie. Then, she looked up at the mirror. It had darkened, somehow, and her own reflection had become vauge. She leaned forward, curious, but unafraid  
The mirror began to speak. "Do not be frightened, my child."  
"Don't worry, I'm fine,thankyouverymuch," Eileen said, skeptically, "and I'm not your child."  
She put a soundproofing charm on the room, knowing it was probably against one rule or another. The mirror continued. "We have been watching you. We have seen your progress. And we are impressed. Quite so. Now we would like to offer you an invitation. An invitation to join some of the greatest witches and wizards of the world today in serving our Lord--"  
"Hell, no!" cried Eileen, "I don't want to serve some half-dead evil guy! Neither should you. Can't you see it's folks like you keeping his being alive? Can't you see he's using you?"  
"There will be great rewards--"  
"--that's what he tells you," Eileen snapped, trying to somehow make eye contact with the mirror. "but you're just a pawn. Nothing more. You mean nothing to him. Your life...what's your life but something to be sacrificed towards his cause?"  
The mirror was silent.  
"Nothing. Nothing at all. Don't you want more?"  
No answer.  
"Isn't there more to your life? Don't you want there to be?"  
Eileen took the stainless steel plunger from its position next to the toilet. She smashed it into the mirror, one, two, three times. Panting, she placed it on the ground, and watched the sharp pieces. They were still dark.   
Then, before her, a form started to Apperate slowly. As it became more and more distinct, the glass on the floor became lighter and lighter. Finally, a fully present little man was before her on the ground. He wore a brown cloak, and clutched his wand tightly.  
"Look up," Eileen ordered.  
He did, reluctantly. She examined his face. "You're Peter Pettigrew, aren't you?"  
The little man didn't answer.   
"Aren't you?" she growled, squatting down so she could look him forcefully in the eyes.  
"It doesn't matter who I am," he said quietly.  
Suddenly, she grabbed for his wand. It was an unexpected move, and his arms were weak, so she easily overpowered him. "Aren't you?" she asked, in a mockingly sweet tone.  
"All right," the little man admitted.  
"Thank you." Most sympathetically, she added. "Now, I'm really sorry, but I have to leave you here. I've got a meeting at midnight, with the son of one of your colleagues. A quite important one, if I'm not mistaken."  
"Malfoy?"  
"Now, do you really think I'm going to tell you that, honey?" She laughed." I'm going to take this with me." Eileen gestured toward Pettigrew's wand. "And I'm going to leave my familiar with you, just in case you DO happen to get up to no good."  
She opened the door to the bedroom. "Here, kitty, kitty," A tiny calico cat appeared. "This is Trotsky. He's a real sweetheart. But don't mess with him, because those claws are sharp!"  
As Eileen locked the door to the bathroom from the outside, she couldn't resist adding a sarcastic "Have fun!"  
  
A/N- I haven't been on all summer...I've been really busy. Now that I'm back, there'll be updates much more often. Thanks for reading this chapter, and I'd appricate it if you'd leave a review behind. Suggestions, comments, flames? Put it all in! Don't worry about insulting me...I've got sunshine in a bag, after all. Abstract lyric refrence to "Clint Eastwood" in case you're confused. And the song lyrics in the story? They're from the Beatles song, "Girl". This chapter's kinda contrived, but trust me, the next one's full of twists and turns. Lotsa love ~Eleanor 


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